Ex-warden agrees with Trump: Send NYC terrorist to Gitmo

(National Sentinel) Terrorism: The former warden of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, agrees with President Donald J. Trump that the ISIS-inspired terrorist who mowed down residents in New York City this week ought to be treated as a enemy combatant, Breitbart Newsreports.

Col. Michael Bumgarner, formerly the commander of the guard force at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, urged the president to “immediately, within the next 24 hours” declare New York City terror attack suspect Sayfullo Saipov an enemy combatant and send him to Gitmo.

“If this attack had occurred in Syria it would have been very clear,” said Bumgarner. “It just happened to have occurred on our homeland. But he is at war with the United States and belongs in Guantanamo.

“I absolutely believe that he should be taken to Guantanamo as an enemy combatant,” Bumgarner continued. “And I believe this is the mindset that America needs to take. That these individuals are truly at war with the United States. This is not a law enforcement issue.”

Saipov killed eight and injured 11 others after he mowed them down with a rented truck. Vehicle attacks have become ISIS’ preferred method of terrorism; several incidents involving vehicle-borne attacks have occurred in Europe over the past year.

He noted that Saipov is reportedly talking to authorities, but added that there are also concerns he may be part of a larger terrorist network. As such, Bumgarner said Saipov ought to be subject to “enhanced interrogation” techniques at Gitmo.

“The prime reason (for shipping Saipov to Gitmo) is interrogation,” he said. “There it would be more in the intelligence hands of the defense department and the other national intelligence agencies. As opposed to working within the law enforcement channels of the United States where the FBI would be the dominant collector and there it would have a different slant.”

On Wednesday, Trump was asked by reporters whether he would consider sending Saipov to Gitmo. “I would certainly consider that,” Trump said. He added, “Send him to Gitmo — I would certainly consider that, yes.”

Trump added: “We also have to come up with punishment that’s far quicker and far greater than the punishment these animals are getting right now. They’ll go through court for years. And at the end, they’ll be — who knows what happens.

“What we have right now is a joke and it’s a laughing stock,” Trump said.